PFA chief offers John Terry and Wayne Bridge help after sordid revelations

08 February 2010 11:34

Players' union chief Gordon Taylor has offered to help John Terry and WayneBridge get through the storm which has rocked football.

Terry was stripped of the England captaincy by manager Fabio Capello on Fridayafter a week of headlines surrounding his alleged affair with Bridge'sex-partner.

Bridge's international future is in the balance over doubts about whether hecan share the same changing room as his former Chelsea team-mate.

Breaking point: Bridge and Terry

But Taylor urged both Terry and Bridge to concentrate on their football.

He said: 'It is for everybody to deal with these issues as they feel fit andJohn Terry's best way to deal with them is to get playing football again. Samewith Wayne Bridge.

'I'm chief executive of the players' union and both parties know they can havehelp and advice and that offer has been made to both of them. They are footballers and that is what they need to focus on now.

Bridge building: Gordon Taylor

'That is whyCapello made the decision in the way he did, to let both players know that hewas trying to be fair to everybody. We can try to move on and take the heat out of the situation. We do seem tohave a media circus building up with momentum every time we come to a World Cup,it's a little bit earlier this year than normal.

'Sometimes footballers don't realise the depth of media intensity and when itcomes it can knock them back.'

Taylor called for perspective where football was concerned.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek programme he added: 'Suddenly theplayers can't behave properly, Portsmouth not paying the wages, now the badbehaviour and you don't get a chance to look at the fact that football is sopopular because of the quality of the game.

'If the players weren't good and dedicated it wouldn't be so popular. If yousee what the players commit to charity and community initiatives with youngstersand the disabled it is amazing. There were 30,000 visits made by them lastyear.'

Terry and Bridge reunited: Capello is sure they can share dressing roomMARTIN SAMUEL: Never mind morals, sacking of Terry was stand for EnglandGARY LINEKER: The England captain must have the trust of his playersPATRICK COLLINS: Capello makes short work of a masterpiece of brutalityManchester City boss Mancini hits out at Hull fans over taunts aimed at Bridge